Since years the amount and diversity of products made from biobased plastics is continuously increasing, especially in the packaging segment. Actually polylactide (PLA) is the most important biobased polymer on the packaging market and because many concepts use PLA as composite material or in blends, the recycling of PLA-containing waste streams is very difficult with conventional processes (e.g. re-granulation), if not impossible.

The information of German consumer associations describes the dilemma very explicitly:”Because bioplastics can actually not be recycled and hinder the recycling of other plastics, they should not be placed into the “yellow bag” (for packaging plastics waste) or the recycling bin. The German Environmental Agency actually recommends the disposal via the residual waste. Then bioplastics can at least be incinerated with energy recovery3)“. And even though the term “bio” generally has a positive connotation, the disposal industry over and over again expressed concern, that PLA can disturb the established plastic recycling.

Small single-use plastic pouch packaging, so-called „sachets“ are very popular in developing and emerging countries, because they allow low-income consumers to buy small amounts of quality products that would otherwise be unaffordable to them. Empty flexible packaging is just thrown away or ends up in landfill because there exist no viable recycling technology and generally it lacks a waste logistic in those countries as well. The fact that globally only 14% of all plastic packaging is recycled explains the reports about polluted beaches and garbage patches in the oceans and why Asia is seen as the main problem. But actually there is a growing awareness that every spot on this earth is affected and industrialized countries have a big problem with plastic packaging as well.

Less than 1/3 of plastic packaging waste is currently recycled due to technological and economic limitations, thus considering plastic as a single use commodity and the waste as a (financial) burden instead of a “resource”. In its new “Plastic Strategy1)” the European Commission set out a vision that includes cost-effective recycling, larger recycling capacities and a more integrated plastic value chain. The MultiCycle2) project is aimed at stopping resource depletion, land-filling and incineration in regards to plastic waste streams of the packaging and automotive sector. It will start on 1 November 2018 and last until 31 October 2021.

In order to protect sensitive and high-value products from the food and consumer goods segment, today plastic packaging systems have to meet high requirements and they increasingly consist of complex packaging composite constructions e.g. multi-layer plastic films. These often used multi-layer laminates made of polyethylene/polyamide (PE/PA) and polypropylene/polyethylene terephthalate (PP/PET) are “not recyclable” according to the present state of the art, because existing processing facilities can only treat packaging waste made from one single polymer. The CreaSolv® Process offers a solution to the issue that multi-layer laminates from household waste can only be incinerated and therefore the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) supports the Circular Packaging1) project with 3.12 Million Euro.